Power-transmitting mechanism.



PATENTED DEC. 26, 1905.

W. R. MAY.

POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MARA, 1905` M0963. .AM/; y was. M7

PATENT ortica.

WILLIAM. R. MAY, OF NEWTON,` MASSACHUSETTS.

. POWER-TRANSMITTING MECHANISIVI.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Dee. 26, 1905.

Appiiation mea March 1. 1905. serai No. 247,854.

friction clutch members to be operativelyA connected by a relativelylight spring-pres# t sure which automatically holds the members inengagement and to be separated or unclutched by power, such as can bereadily applied by the foot acting through a suitable treadle, theinvention being intended particularly for use in motor-vehicles.

The invention consists in the improvements which T will now proceed todescribe and claim. Y

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a power transmitting mechanismembodying my invention, the shaft upon. which the said mechanism ismounted being shown in transverse section. Fig. 2 represents a sectionon line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in both thefigures.

In the drawings, 12 represents a shaft, and 13 represents an annularmember, such as a pulley or a gear-wheel ,mounted upon the shaft andhaving an internal frictiorkface 14, which is concentric with the shaft.

15 yrepresents a sleeve also adapted to be mounted on the shaft 12, saidsleeve beinO in this case rigidly secured to the shaft by a hey 16,while the annular member 13 is loose. This arrangement may be reversed,however, the annular member 13 being aflixed to the shaft and the sleeve15 mounted loosely thereon without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

17 represents a rock-shaft which is journaled in bearings formed in ears18 18 on the sleeve 15. Between the ears 18 there is affixed to therock-shaft by means of a pin 19 an eccentric 20. This eccentric isfitted to turn in sockets formed for its reception in ears 2 1 2 1formed Von and proj ecting inwardly from shoes 22 22, having segmentalouter faces which are opposed to the internal fric tion-face 14 and areadapted to be engaged therewith by the rotation of the eccentric, ashereinafter described. To the rock-shafts 17 are affixed levers 23, theouter ends of which are connected by rods or links 24 with a collar 25,which is adapted to slide upon the sleeve 15.

26 represents a spring interposed between the collar 25 and an annularrecess in sleeve 15, forming a spring s support. Said spring normallypresses the collar 25 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2,and thus causes the collar, through the rods or links 24, levers 23, androck-shafts 17, to turn the eccentric 20 in the direction required toforce the shoes 22 outwardly into engagement with the internalfriction-face 414. The shoes 22 are therefore automatically engaged andheld in engagement with the annular member 13. Pressure may be appliedto the collar 25 in any suitable way, as by means of a foottreadle andsuitable connections, to overcome the pressure of the spring 26 and turnthe eccentric in the direction required to retract the shoes.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the eccentrics, rock-shafts, andlevers, arranged as shown in the drawings, enable the shoes to be heldin engagement with the annular member by a relatively lightspring-pressure, which can be readily overcome to permit thedisengagement of the shoes from the annular member by pressure-appliedby the foot to a treadle. It will also be seen that ample clearance ofthe shoes from the internal friction-face is afforded by a relativelyshort movement of the collar 25 and thatthe friction of the rubbingparts is reduced to the minimum.

Any suitable means for supporting the eccentrics may be substituted forthe sleeve 15, and any other suitable means may be employevd to turn theeccentrics to cause them to proj ect and retract the shoes.

The collar 25 may be actuated by any other suitable means to cause theapplication of the shoes to the friction-face, my invention not beinglimited to the employment of a spring for this purpose. The collar 25 isfound to abut against a stop-shoulder 28 on the sleeve 15 when theeccentrics have been turned to cause the maximum separation between theshoes and the internal frictionface, this preventing the rods 24 fromstriking the hub portion of the annular member 13. The rods 24 arefitted to slide in guidegrooves founded for their reception in thesleeve 15.

The levers 23 are adjustably secured to the IOO rock-shafts, so thatthey may be adjusted to compensate for wear of the friction-faces and tovary the power of the spring. To this end each lever has a hub portionwhich is split at 29, its parts being connected by a screw 30, theadjustment of which either tightens or loosens the split hub portion,thus either securing the lever firmly to the rockshaft or loosening itto permit its adjustment.

I claim- 1. A power-transmitting mechanism comprising an annular memberadapted to receive a shaft, and having an annular frictionface, a sleevealso adapted to receive a shaft and provided with longitudinalguidegrooves, movable shoes having segmental friction-faces opposed tosaid annular face, eccentrics journaled in bearings on the said shoes,rock-shafts affixed to said eccentrics and journaled in bearings on thesleeve, levers affixed to the rock-shafts and eccentrics and arranged tooperate said shoes, a collar mounted to slide on said sleeve, and rodscon necting said collar and said levers and sliding in saidguide-grooves.

2. A power-transmitting mechanism comi prising an annular member adaptedto receive a shaft, and -having an annular friction-face, a sleeve alsoadapted to receive a shaft and provided with'an annular recess orchamber, movable shoes having segmental frictionefaces opposed to saidannular face, eccentrics j ournaled in bearings on the said shoes,rock-shafts affixed to said eccentrics and ournaled in bearings on thesleeve, levers a'HiXed to the rock-shafts and eccentrics and arranged tooperate said shoes, a collar mounted on said sleeve, connections betweensaid collar and said levers, and a spring encirclin said sleeve andinterposed between aid co lar and said annular recess or charn- 3. Apower-transmitting mechanism comprising an annular member adapted to receive a shaft, and having an annular frictionface, a sleeve also adaptedto receive a shaft, said sleeve being provided with longitudinalguide-grooves and an annular recess or chamber, movable shoes havingsegmental friction-faces'opposed to said annular face, eccentricsjournaled in bearings on the said shoes, rock-shafts affixed to saideccentrics and journaled in bearings on the sleeve, levers affixed tothe rock-shafts and eccentrics and arranged to operate said shoes, acollar mounted to slide on said sleeve, rods con necting said collar andsaid levers and sliding in said guide-grooves, and a spring encirclingsaid sleeve and interposed between said collar and said annular recessor chamber.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM R. MAY. -Witnesses C, F. BROWN, E. BATCHELDER.

